Take-off!: American All-girl Bands During WWII by Tonya Bolden

Bolden, Tonya. Take-off!: American All-girl Bands During WWII. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007. 80 pages. ISBN-10:0375827978. ISBN-13: 978-0375827976.

Plot:

Prior to WWII, it was considered inappropriate for women to play jazz music. When many male musicians joined or were drafted into the military, it left an opening that needed to be filled and female musicians were there to take over. Tonya Bolden highlights several of these musicians and the bands for which they played. She explains what jazz and swing music are and then the book is split into three sections, each highlighting a specific band. The first section focuses on Ada Leonard’s All-American Girl Orchestra, one of the first all-female jazz bands. It features interviews and quotes from some of the musicians, such as Janie Sager, Norma Carson, and Fagel Liebman. The women tell of their experiences traveling, playing, and breaking into what was previously strictly a man’s domain. They also talk about their experiences outside the band and how they got into playing music. Section two focuses on The Prairie View State College Co-Eds, a band made up of female students from the all black Prairie View State College. The women interviewed – Clora Bryant, Margaret Grisbey, Helen Cole, and others – talk about their love of music, the wonderful places they got to play, and their experiences with the band. The section also talks about the prejudices they had to face as an all black, all girl band trying to play in the South. The third section focuses on the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a band that was started at the Piney Woods School. One of the unique features of this band was that it featured players from many cultural and racial backgrounds. Their story tells of how they started at their high school, but the school took advantage of them. The girls traveled and played, raising money for the school, while their educations suffered and they were given little pay. After breaking with the school, their manager also took advantage of them, but they eventually were able to break free and play the music they loved. When the war ended, the men returned and expected their jobs back, including that of playing in jazz and swing bands. Many women tried to continue playing, some did not. Of those who continued, not all were able to be successful. All the women have fond memories of their time, however.

Critical Evaluation:

Take-off!: American All-girl Bands During WWII is an easy to read look at a very interesting time in American history. The book doesn’t go into too much detail about the subject, but it does provide an overview and some fun facts, as well as an extensive bibliography should the reader choose to do more research. The inclusion of pictures, posters, and newspaper clippings really brings the subject to life. Direct quotes and stories from the musicians remind the readers that these are real women’s lives they’re reading about, including many women who are still alive today. Including a CD of music from many of the bands that are featured is a fun bonus that also serves to personalize the stories even more.

Bolden uses slang that was popular during that time period and writes in a choppy, quick style. This makes the book jump along quickly, like the jazz music that is its subject, and adds a little more historical depth. It does, however, make the book hard to follow at times. Other than that, it’s an easy read that should appeal to even the most reluctant readers of non-fiction.

Reader's Annotation:

When many male jazz musicians were called overseas for WWII, women were finally allowed a chance to show their talent.

Author Information:

Tonya Bolden was born on March 1, 1959 in New York City and grew up in Harlem. She graduated from the Chapin School in Manhattan and then went on to attend Princeton. At the same time, she joined the Westside Repertory Theatre Group, where she worked as an actor, stage manager, assistant director, and set builder. After graduating from Princeton, she worked for a dress manufacturing company while working towards her masters at Columbia. She has worked as an office coordinator for Raoulfilm, Inc, an editorial assistant to William E. Rice and as a college English instructor.

She published her first book in 1990. She is the author or co-author of close to 30 books, most of which are non-fiction. Several of her non-fiction works focus on African-American women. She published works for both adults and young adults.

Genre:

Non-Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

History: WWII
Music: Swing and Jazz Female Bands

Booktalking Ideas:

• Explain some of the slang used in the book.
• Talk about women taking over many men's jobs during WWII and the challenges they faced.
• Read the "What is Swing" page.
• Give a brief bio for one of the musicians featured.
  

Reading Level/Interest Age:

12 and older

Challenge Issues:

None

Challenge Defense Ideas:

If there were challenges:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was mentioned as a good non-fiction book in the class text. I really like music from that time period, so I decided to check it out.

Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial by Penny Colman

Colman, Penny. Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial. Henry Holt and Co, . 224 pages. ISBN-10: 0805050663. ISBN-13: 978-0805050660.

Plot:

Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial covers everything a person would want to know about the historical and cultural practices surrounding death and burial. Colman begins by explaining her reasoning for writing the book, including her own experiences with death. The first two chapters focus on defining and understanding death. She includes personal stories, historical information, and other facts surrounding exactly how humans define and understand the process of dying. The next step is, of course, what happens to a body after death in a chapter over decomposition, embalming, autopsies, and transplants. The next four chapters cover the various ways that people deal with corpses, including burial, cremation, locations, and customs. One of the chapters focuses solely on the way to dispose of corpses, one on items used to contain the remains, one over burial sites, and one over customs and ceremonies. The final chapter covers images of death in art, including statuary, literature, and music. Colman also includes additional information at the end of the book about epitaphs, burial sites of famous people, burial instructions, and gravestone carvings.

Critical Evaluation:

Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial is fascinating. Colman takes a very sensitive topic and addresses it with straight-forward style that is admirable. She manages to combine emotion and fact in a way that makes this book both personal and educational. Her writing is simple, but she doesn’t talk down to her audience. Though this is considered a young adult book, it could easily have been written for adults.

The layout of the book is very functional. Colman chooses to split the subject of death and dying into eight main sections presented in a logical order. By writing about customs and history from around the world, she covers almost every aspect of death that could be of interest. She also includes personal stories from herself and others she has interviewed, as well as photographs. This keeps the book from becoming too clinical in its examination of the subject.

Death is a subject that people fear for many reasons. By choosing to write about the subject in such an informative and sensitive way, Colman has made a great contribution to non-fiction. Reading this book could lead to a really good discussion.

Reader's Annotation:

Penny Colman delves into the fascinating, complicated, and often sad history of death and burial.

Author Information:

Penny Colman was born September 2, 1944 in Denver, Colorado. She also lived in Washington, Oregon, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania all before the age of five. Her family finally settled in Warren, Pennsylvania where they lived on the grounds of the Warren State Hospital where her father worked as a psychiatrist. She attended Western College for Women, but dropped out after two years to hitchhike around Europe. When she returned, she attended the University of Michigan and then went on to receive a masters in Teaching from Johns Hopkins.

She solely writes non-fiction and primarily writes books about women. Her childhood visits to museums and historical sites inspired her love of history, though she noticed that there was often a dearth of information on the historical contributions of women. She has set about to rectify that with her books.

Genre:

Non-Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

History: Dealing with death through the ages
Cultural Anthropology: Death and Burial customs
Science: Embalming

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss some burial customs for various cultures.
• Explain Colman's reasons for writing the book as stated on page 9.
• Give a brief overview of some of the topics included in the book.
  

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Some gruesome descriptions
Discussion of death

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was listed as a good non-fiction book for teens in our class text. I thought the subject sounded really interesting.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. MTV Books/Pocket Books, 1999. 213 pages. ISBN-10: 0671027344. ISBN-13: 978-0671027346.

Plot:

15-year-old Charlie is afraid to start his freshman year of high school. His best friend has committed suicide, his brother is away at college, and he and his sister are no longer as close as they once were. On top of this, Charlie has emotional problems that make it difficult for him to relate to people. To cope with everything, he begins to write letters to an anonymous recipient that he heard was a good listener. Charlie’s letters detail his experience with his family, friends, and the new people he meets. He writes about his Advanced English teacher, who gives him extra reading and encourages him to share his ideas. He reveals information about his family’s past and how it affects who they are now. He writes about learning to “participate” in life and his difficulties with doing so. Perhaps the biggest focus of his letters is his new friendship with two seniors, Patrick and Sam. He loves them both and they are an important part of helping him deal with his life, as well as figure out where he fits in. Charlie changes a lot throughout the course of his letters, but he is faithful in relating every experience along the way.

Critical Evaluation:

The most interesting aspect of this book is the format in which it was written. By choosing to write it as a series of letters to an anonymous recipient, Chbosky personalizes the story in a way that traditional narrative or even journal style could not. It allows readers to truly feel as if Charlie is speaking directly to them. Chbosky also chooses to eschew proper grammar and sentence structure in many instances, but it’s obvious that this is a stylistic choice meant to convey a more authentic teenage voice rather than simply a mistake or poor writing.

There is a sinister undercurrent to this book, which really shows Charlie struggling with emotional issues due to the death of his aunt and (as we later find out) her sexual abuse of him. Charlie seems much younger than his actual age. He’s shy and unconventional, but also socially and emotionally delayed in many ways. Though the content is more appropriate for older teens, Charlie is a character to which younger teens could probably more easily relate. Despite being written almost more than a decade ago, most of the characters could easily have been created today. The parties, friendships, relationships, and other experiences Charlie has ring true.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has been considered a modern young adult classic since its publication in 1999. It’s the epitome of a coming-of-age novel. Just as my generation loved it when it was published, current and future generations will enjoy and relate to it, as well.

Reader's Annotation:

15-year-old Charlie relates the ups and downs of his freshman year of high through letters written to an unknown recipient.

Author Information:

Stephen Chbosky was born January 25, 1970 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended public school in St. Clair, Pennsylvania at a high school that is a three times nominated Blue Ribbon school. He then attended the University of Southern California as part of their screen writing program. He has worked as a screen writer on a handful of films including Rent, the television series Jericho, and his first film The Four Corners of Nowhere, in which he also acted and directed.

Though he has written several screenplays and edited a collection of short stories, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is his only novel. It is semi-autobiographical and also deeply influenced by Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. His writing is also influenced by the works of Tennessee Williams, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Stewart Stern, the screen writer for Rebel Without A Cause.

Genre:

Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

English: Writing Style, Journaling

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss who you think Charlie is writing to and if it really matters.
• Discuss whether their situation determines the person or the person determines their situation.
• Introduce Charlie and the book plot in letter form.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Depiction of homosexuality
Profanity
Sexual content
Drug, alcohol and tobacco Use
Suicide
Molestation
Rape

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is one of the more well-known YA books of modern times. It is also being adapted for a film in 2011.

The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wars Trilogy #1) by Frank Beddor

Beddor, Frank. The Looking Glass Wars. Speak, 2007. 400 pages. ISBN-10: 0142409413. ISBN-13: 978-0142409411.

Plot:

Alyss Heart is the beloved princess of Wonderland. Her mother, Queen Genevieve, is a benevolent ruler, but Genevieve’s sister, Redd, is evil and has sworn revenge on Genevieve for taking what she saw as her rightful place as ruler of Wonderland. On Alyss’s seventh birthday, Redd atacks Wonderland. She kills Alyss’s parents and the father of her best friend, Dodge, but Alyss escapes with Genevieve’s bodyguard, Hatter Madigan. The two of them jump through the Pool of Tears, a portal to earth. They are separated in the process and Alyss ends up as a street child in London, while Hatter spends the next 13 years getting into trouble as he searches the world for her. Soon, Alyss is taken in by the Liddell family, who change her name to Alice and raise her as their daughter. At first Alyss insists on telling everyone who she really is, even going so far as to tell her entire life story to the Charles Dodgeson who promises to write a book about her. He creates the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but Alyss is outraged that he fictionalized her life story in such a way. Eventually, though, even Alyss begins to forget who she is as she grows up and even agrees to marry Prince Leopold. Hatter discovers her shortly before her wedding.

Meanwhile, in Wonderland, things are getting worse. The few rebels who are still loyal to Genevieve are planning to take back the queendom, but they can’t do it without Alyss. Dodge has grown up to be a good warrior, but he’s a bitter man set on revenge. When a wounded Hatter arrives back in Wonderland, Dodge decides to go after Alyss himself, kidnapping her from her wedding. Now that she is back in Wonderland, the rebels expect her to lead them, but Alyss isn’t sure that she can.

Critical Evaluation:

This is such a great premise for a book. Taking the story of Alice in Wonderland - one that already has controversy concerning the truth surrounding it - and turning it into a “true” science fiction novel is a clever move. Beddor includes all the well-known characters but gives them a twist. His use of their names and certain qualities are enough to make them recognizable to anyone familiar with the original story, but they’re still quite different from the original. The story celebrates the power of imagination and Beddor was certainly using his when he created his Wonderland.

This book contains features to satisfy all manner of readers. There are elements of fantasy, science fiction, romance, history, and plenty of action. Beddor created a fascinating world complete with its own politics, fashion, weapons, inventions, and various types of inhabitants. Though he’s created an impressive world, he didn’t fall back on his fantastical environment to support the story; the plot is also complicated and exciting. The supporting characters are entertaining and really round out the story. However, it’s the main characters, particularly Alyss, Hatter, and Dodge, who are impressively written. Beddor gives them each their own secrets, motivations, love and pain in a very convincing way. He writes both male and female characters well. Beddor is a imaginative writer who has created a captivating novel that leaves the reader hungry for more.

Reader's Annotation:

This is the true story of Alyss Heart, the rightful heir to the Wonderland throne.

Author Information:

Frank Beddor was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from the Catholic private school, Benilde-St. Margaret's School, in 1977. He was a competitive skier and was the World Freestyle Skiing Champion in 1981 and 1982. After he left competitive skiing, he turned to film work. He had a few small acting parts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He then worked as a producer of films and video games, including the successful film There’s Something About Mary.

While in London for the U.K premiere of There’s Something About Mary, he visited The British Museum and was inspired to write his Looking Glass Wars series. The book was rejected by every major publisher in America before being published in the U.K. After becoming popular there, Penguin agreed to publish it in America. Beddor has also written graphic novels, created a card game, a video game, an apparel line, a musical CD, and a possible musical theater production all based on his Looking Glass Wars novels.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

English: Comparison to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Booktalking Ideas:

• Introduce this as the "real" story of Alice in Wonderland.
• Discuss what it would be like to be thrust into a completely strange world.
• Talk about the power of imagination.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Everything related to Alice in Wonderland has experienced a resurgence in popularity recently. This is a great twist on the traditional story.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Elkeles, Simone. Perfect Chemistry. Walker Books for Young Readers, 2008. 368 pages. ISBN-10: 0802798233. ISBN-13: 978-0802798237.

Plot:

On the surface, Brittany and Alex couldn’t be more different. She is a popular cheerleader, from perfect family on the rich side of town, and part of the school’s golden couple. He is a member of the Latino Blood gang, poor, and dangerous. When the two are paired up as lab partners, they are both unhappy with the situation. To prove himself, Alex makes a bet with his friends that he can get Brittany to have sex with him by Thanksgiving. As the two get to know each other, they start to see that their perceptions were very wrong. Brittany’s family is actually pretty dysfunctional and her perfect exterior is her defense to hide that. Alex is actually a smart boy who longs to go to college, but is trapped in the gang in order to help his family. As they discover more about each other, they begin to fall in love. Their friends and family aren’t ready to accept them as a couple, however. As Brittany’s family situation spins out of control and Alex is forced to go deeper into the gang life, they’re not sure if their love will survive.

Critical Evaluation:

Perfect Chemistry is a pretty predictable novel. The storyline isn’t especially original. The good girl and the bad boy who hate each other but slowly fall in love has been done many times over. The characters are stereotypical, both on the surface and underneath. She’s the “perfect” girl with the difficult home life. He’s the bad boy who wants to escape his circumstances and better himself. They’re also very frustrating at the start of the novel. The ending of the story isn’t especially shocking or original. Despite all this, Perfect Chemistry is a sweet and engaging read. Presenting it in alternating viewpoints allows the reader insight into each of the characters, especially since they hide so much from each other and the world around them. After the initial frustration, the characters become endearing as they fall in love, almost as if their love is what redeems them both. It’s impossible to not cheer them on as they take on a world that isn’t ready to accept them for who they are and certainly isn’t ready to accept them being together. They encounter what should be extremely dangerous and almost impossible challenges, but the ending is tied up neatly. Rather than being annoying in its lack of realism, the ending is satisfying. This is a touching and romantic read; realism isn’t necessary.

Reader's Annotation:

Brittany and Alex come from vastly different backgrounds, but fall in love after being paired as chemistry lab partners.

Author Information:

Simone Elkeles was born and raised near Chicago, where many of her books take place. She attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign where she received a degree in Psychology in 1992. She then went on to attend Loyola University-Chicago to study Industrial Relations. Following graduation, she worked creating diversity programs for a manufacturing company.

Her first book was published in 2006. She writes solely for young adults because she enjoys writing about the excitement of teenage love and romance. She tries her best to make sure her characters and situations are realistic, including actually spending time in a juvenile detention center to research her Leaving Paradise series.

Genre:

Romance

Curriculum Ties:

English: A modern comparison to Romeo and Juliet.

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the idea of stereotypes and first impressions.
• Talk about being trapped by your situations and deciding to break free.
• Discuss the similarities between Brittany's life and Alex's life.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Profanity
Sexual content
Violence
Gang activity
Drug and alcohol use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

I was first attracted to this book because of the alternating narrator style in which is is written. It's a sweet twist on the Romeo and Juliet plot-line, but written for modern audiences.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Johnson, Mauree. Devilish. Penguin/Razorbill, 2006. 288 pages. ISBN-10: 1595140603. ISBN-13: 978-1595140609.

Plot:

Ally is one of the few things that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane. They have been best friends for years, even though they couldn’t be more different. Jane is sarcastic, non-conformist, and outspoken. Ally is shy, spastic and obsessed with the school’s events and traditions, especially that of getting a good “little sister” at the school’s annual ceremony. At the ceremony, Ally vomits front of the school and humiliates herself, but still ends up with a little sister after a mysterious new student, Lanalee, offers to pair up with her. When Ally starts acting weird, Jane soon figures out that there is something going on with her and Lanalee. It turns out that Lanalee is a demon and Ally has sold her soul for popularity. Jane offers to take Ally’s place, hoping that she can make a deal with Lanalee that will save both of them. Her decision puts into motion a series of events that will rock their school and possibly end up with Jane losing her soul in the process.

Critical Evaluation:

Devilish’s cover and premise are misleading. Upon seeing the book, a person might think that this would be another substanceless teen chick book. If they were to pass it over because of this, they would be missing out on a quick, thrilling, and intelligent read. Johnson presents an interesting twist on legend of Faust. The emissary of the devil is in the body of a teenage girl, the ambition is that of poise and popularity, and the setting is high school. What better set up could there be for that kind of bargain? Johnson’s writing is snappy and clever. Jane is a humorous and sarcastic narrator. Setting her up as narrator rather than Ally was a smart choice.

One of the most refreshing aspects of the story is Jane’s skepticism. Many novels, young adult and otherwise, contain an unrealistic level of acceptance in their characters when presenting fantastical elements. The characters are rarely shocked or disbelieving when encountering creatures that supposedly don’t exist. When Jane is confronted with the idea that her best friend has sold her soul to the devil, she assumes that Lanalee is simply manipulating Ally. Even after several unusual things happen directly to Jane, she still refuses to believe. It’s only after she has reached the point that she can no longer deny what’s happening that she begins to reluctantly accept it. Throughout all of this, though, her devotion to Ally is admirable. Even as their relationship becomes more strained and Ally betrays her, Jane is still determined to save her. This book is a wonderful example of the powerful friendships that can develop between teenage girls and one that readers will enjoy.

Reader's Annotation:

When Jane's best friend sells her soul to the devil in exchange for popularity, Jane must figure out how to save her before it's too late.

Author Information:

Maureen Johnson was born February 16, 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though not Catholic, she attended a Catholic Prep school for girls. She enjoyed high school and made several great friends while there. She used this experience as inspiration for her book Devilish. She then attended the University of Delaware to study Writing and went on to study Theatrical Dramaturgy and Writing at Columbia University. While there she worked several jobs to pay for her schooling, including working in a Las Vegas show, as an employee of a haunted house themed restaurant, and as a fake employee of a company to increase its employee numbers. She currently lives in New York and frequently travels to the UK, including time spent in Scotland on a writing fellowship.

Her first novel was published in 2004. She has since published 6 other novels, 2 compilations, and has 2 more novels set to be published in 2011. Though most of her books are not frequently challenged, her novel The Bermudez Triangle was challenged in 2007. Johnson has been noted for her quick response to the challenge and for her criticism of the typical practices that schools use when banning books.

Genre:

Chick Lit

Curriculum Ties:

English: Modern comparison to Faust

Booktalking Ideas:

• Compare Jane and Ally.
• Talk about what made Jane believe what Lanalee really is.
• Introduce Lanalee as a character.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and Older

Challenge Issues:

Selling of souls to Satan
Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

I discovered this book while working on our genre project. Though I had a fairly negative view of chick lit before, this book is one that helped change my mind.

Uglies (Uglies Trilogy #1) by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. Simon Pulse, 2005. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 0689865384. ISBN-13: 978-0689865381.

Plot:

Tally is an Ugly. She hasn’t yet reached her 16th birthday where she will undergo the surgery that will transform her to a Pretty and allow her to live in New Pretty Town where she can spend all her time partying with the rest of the new Pretties. Missing her best friend Peris, who has already become a Pretty, she sneaks over to New Pretty Town to see him. While there she is almost caught, but is helped by another Ugly named Shay. Tally and Shay become friends. Shay reveals that she doesn’t want to become a Pretty and is planning on running away instead. After Shay disappears, Tally still plans to become a Pretty, but on the day of her birthday she is taken to meet Dr. Gable, the head of Special Circumstances, the city’s security force. Dr. Gable informs Tally that she must find Shay and lead Special Circumstances to the colony of runaways where Shay is living or she’ll never be allowed to become a Pretty. Tally agrees and sets off to the colony, know as The Smoke. When she arrives, she begins to enjoy the freedom of The Smoke and decides to stay instead of revealing where they are. She also falls in love with a boy who was born there, named David. What Tally doesn’t know is that Dr. Gable expected her to betray her mission and has a way of tracking her anyway.

Critical Evaluation:

On the surface, Uglies is a dystopian post-scarcity science-fiction thriller. Looking deeper, however, the entire novel is a metaphor for the confusion inherent in adolescence when torn between desires for individuality and the need to conform, as well as the fear of growing up. Teenagers will appreciate Tally’s predicament. She desperately wants to join Peris and the other Pretties in New Pretty Town, but as she learns more about the Uglies living in the Smoke and discovers life outside of the city, she is drawn to that lifestyle. However, the Smoke simply represents another type of conformity. Tally has to learn to reconcile what she wants with the demands of those around her, which is something that every individual must go through as part of growing up.

Westerfeld creates a dazzling world with his descriptions of New Pretty Town. The technology he creates is fascinating and fun. Who wouldn’t want a hoverboard? He manages to make being a Pretty sounds incredibly appealing, which makes it all the more horrifying when it’s revealed what happens during the transformation.

The novel is an exercise in suspense. The reader is never sure what is around the next corner or who is an enemy. Just as one problem is resolved, something else is introduced. The characters’ motivations are often hard to read as it seems like even the most innocent often have some kind of agenda. We spend most of the novel watching Tally’s world fall apart around her as she learns that it’s a very different place than she thought it was. She remains a strong character throughout. When the novel ends, the reader will be anxious to find out what happens to her next.

Reader's Annotation:

Tally has always look forward to her 16th birthday when she will become a Pretty. When Tally's new friend Shay declares that she plans to run away instead, Tally must decide if she should become a Pretty or follow Shay.

Author Information:

Scott Westerfeld was born May 5, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. His father was a computer programmer, so Westerfeld and his family traveled a lot when he was a kid. He lived in Texas, California, and Connecticut. He attended a magnet school for arts in Dallas. He earned a bachelors in Philosophy from Vassar and did graduate work in Performance Studies at New York University. He is married to the Australian author Justine Larbalestier. The two divide their time between Australia and New York, specifically to avoid winter in either hemisphere.

Before becoming a novelist, he worked as a ghost writer and music writer. His first novels were adult science fiction, but he transitioned to writing for young adults with his book So Yesterday in 2004. He has also published non-fiction, short stories, poetry, and several essays.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Science: Care of the Environment
Health: Body Image
Sociology: Community

Booktalking Ideas:

• Talk about the anticipation of becoming a Pretty.
• Compare Tally and Shay.
• Explain some of the technology they use in the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Allusions to alcohol use
Negative body image issues
Anti-family
Anti-government

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This book was recommended to me by a teenage friend of my sister. It's popular with her group of friends.

The Luxe (The Luxe Trilogy #1) by Anna Godbersen

Godbersen, Anna. The Luxe. HarperCollins , 2007. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 0061345679. ISBN-13: 978-0061345678.

Plot:

The year is 1899 and 18-year-old Elizabeth Holland has returned from Europe to take her place as the darling of the Manhattan elite. Her younger sister Diana has grown in her absence and is becoming more daring and less interested in fitting in with society than Elizabeth is. Her supposed best friend Penelope Hayes, a nouveau riche social climber, isn’t entirely thrilled to see Elizabeth back, but she is involved with her own relationship with Henry Schoonmaker. However, Henry’s father insists that he and Elizabeth become engaged, much to Penelope’s outrage. As Henry is courting Elizabeth, he falls for Diana, complicating things even further. As for Elizabeth, she is secretly in love with her poor coachman, Will. Elizabeth’s maid, Lina, is also in love with him. As Elizabeth’s and Henry’s wedding nears, the group of teens must figure out how to sort out their scandalous relationships without the rest of the polite society finding out.

Critical Evaluation:

The Luxe is delightfully snarky and scandalous. This is a book that will appeal to readers raised on Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Clique or any reader who enjoys stories full of secrets, backstabbing, and intrigue. It’s not just romantic fluff, though. Godberson’s research into the Gilded Age is evident in the historical aspects of the novel, even if her descriptions of the time period are primarily limited to the upper class. Unlike many historical fiction novels, the history is more a frame for the story than vice versa. Placing the events in that particular time period allows Godberson the ability to make actions that would be innocent today seem wildly scandalous. Though the characters behave in ways that might not be completely realistic and they suffer from very few consequences, that’s not really the point of the novel.

Godberson’s choice of alternating viewpoints rounds out the story as the reader is able to see the motivations behind each character’s actions. Starting her novel with the death of Elizabeth thrusts the reader into the thick of the story and adds an air of mystery. Perhaps her best stylistic choice is the inclusion of newspaper snippets and letters. This helps further the framework of the Gilded Age, as well as giving an outside perspective on the characters’ lives. Godberson has created a glamorous and entertaining start to her trilogy.

Reader's Annotation:

In Gilded Age Manhattan, four very different young women try to pursue happiness with often scandalous results.

Author Information:

Anna Godbersen was born in 1980 in Berkeley, California. She attended public school in Berkeley before going to Barnard College in Manhattan. She now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Before beginning her career as a novelist, she worked as an editorial assistant for Esquire and worked as a ghost writer of young adult novels. Despite having read very little young adults novels or historical fiction prior to writing her series, she jumped into writing both with much zeal.

Though she classifies her writing as historical fiction, it has often been compared to chick lit. With their glamorous and scandalous characters, her novels would appeal to readers of chick lit, but her writing is well-researched and gives a glimpse into the past that makes her stories much more well-rounded.

Genre:

Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

History: Late 19th Century

Booktalking Ideas:

• Compare the choices young women had for love then to what they do now
• Discuss the personality differences between Diana, Elizabeth, and Penelope
• Describe Manhattan at the end of the 19th century

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 or older

Challenge Issues:

Minor sexual references

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is an historical novel that can appeal to teenage readers who love books like Gossip Girl, but it has more literary merit.

Blood Roses by Francesca Lia Block

Block, Francesca Lia . Blood Roses. HarperTeen, 2008. 144 pages. ISBN-10: 006076385X. ISBN-13: 978-0060763855.

Plot:

This collection of nine short stories centers on transformation and supernatural occurrences surrounding the female characters. In “Blood Roses” two sisters are obsessed with finding a blood rose, even though it means death for anyone who sees one. Their search leads them to the house of a man who claims to have photos of the dead rock star they love, but who spends his time talking about serial killers. In “Giant” Rachel begins to grow quickly after kissing her crush. She doesn’t feel worthy of him and wonders if she will be too much for him. In “My Haunted House” a little girl tries to convince her mother that the dollhouse her dad gave her is haunted. We learn a terrible secret about her father. In “My Boyfriend is an Alien” a schizophrenic girl begins dating a boy who says he’s an alien. In “Horses Are a Girl’s Best friend” Berry falls for a boy who is half-human half-horse. In “Skin Art” tattoos begin appearing all over Elodie’s body when she falls in love with a tattoo artist. In “My Mother the Vampire” a mother and daughter’s relationship is complicated by the mother’s quest to remain young. In “Wound and Wing” Audrey meets a fairy whose wings have been torn off. In “Changelings” a race of fairies lives underground.

Critical Evaluation:

Reading Block’s short stories is like being immersed in a dream. Her lyrical style and beautiful imagery alone would be enough to recommend this book, but the plots live up to the style, as well. Block has a way of slowly revealing what’s really going on, while still keeping some details hidden, that leaves the reader still contemplating the stories long after putting the book down. She’s also a master of subtext and metaphor. On the surface, each of her stories is simply about an unusual or supernatural occurrence. Underneath, she covers topics ranging from sexual abuse to fear of aging. Despite the range in subjects, each story touches on the idea of female transformation and the feeling so common in women - that of feeling like you’re too much, while still not being enough. This is a beautiful and empowering read. If shared with a young woman, it’s one that could be a catalyst for a great discussion.

Reader's Annotation:

Nine beautifully surreal stories about the transformation of young women.

Author Information:

Francesca Lia Block was born December 3, 1962 in Los Angeles. Her parents were a poet and a painter and their artistic lifestyle was a creative influence for Block. She has live in L.A her entire life, except for a brief period where she attended U.C Berkeley. After school, she returned to the city and still lives there with her two children. Her love for L.A. is very evident in her writing.

As a child she loved fairy tales and mythology and these have had a great influence on her writing. Her stories and novels all have a very fairy tale feeling to them, often containing magical or supernatural characters and situations. Though many do have a happy ending, they often contain gritty and dark elements. She writes about realistic and controversial subjects, which has led her books to be challenged often.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

English: Prose styling

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the last paragraph of "Giant"
• Discuss the types of transformations the young women go through
  
• Talk about the fine line between fantasy and reality

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Graphic imagery
Nude photo on the cover

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Adolescence is a time of great transformation. These stories touch on that in a way that is beautiful and fantastical.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 1951. 277 pages. ISBN-10: 0241001870. ISBN-13: 978-0241001875.

Plot:

Holden Caulfield recounts his experiences during a December weekend the previous year. Due to his failing grades, he has been kicked out of yet another boarding school. Instead of waiting for the semester to end, he decides to spend the weekend in New York hiding from his parents. He takes a train in the middle of the night and ends up at a dodgy hotel. After arriving, he spends his time drinking and dancing with tourists in a bar. He is lonely and hires a prostitute, but after seeing her he decides he only wants to talk. She finds him weird and leaves, but Holden pays her anyway. Later she returns with her pimp, demanding more money. They beat up Holden and take the money, so Holden decides to leave the hotel. He spends the next few days wondering around the city, visiting with old friends and attempting to meet up with his younger sister, Pheobe. Eventually he decides to sneak into her room to talk to her, but leaves before his parents can discover him. He then visits an old teacher, but after deciding that the teacher is coming on to him, Holden runs yet again. He decides he will leave for good and head out west alone, but Pheobe has other plans.

Critical Evaluation:

The Catcher in the Rye is a classic for a reason. Despite being written more than fifty years ago, the dead-on teenage voice and attitude is something to which readers of any time period have been able to relate. Salinger captures teenage apathy and idealism perfectly. The stream of consciousness writing and stylistic choices he makes result in a narrative that feels as if the reader is sitting with Holden and listening to him tell his story. Though it might seem as if writing it in that way is a result of laziness, The Catcher in the Rye is expertly crafted.

Everything and nothing happens in this novel. Holden spends three days wandering New York where many of his experiences aren’t incredibly out of the ordinary. It’s his commentary and restlessness while engaging in the activities, along with the extreme importance he attaches to even the most mundane of occurrences, that make it feel as if there is more involved in the weekend than what really happens. This weightiness is unsurprising given that Holden is narrating the experience from a year later, after being hospitalized immediately after that weekend. It also falls in line with the adolescent feeling that every experience and every thought is of the utmost importance. Because of the voice of this character, it is appropriate that this is considered one of the first young adult novels ever.

Reader's Annotation:

After failing out of yet another prep school, Holden Caulfield decides to spend the weekend hiding in New York to avoid being around when his parents find out. He spends his time drinking, looking up old friends, and expounding on his theories on life.

Author Information:

J.D Salinger was born January 1, 1919 and died at the age of 91 on January 27, 2010. He was raised in Manhattan and attended both public and private schools before transferring to Valley Forge Military Academy, where he first started writing short stories. He then attended New York University to study Special Education, but soon dropped out. After a stint working in meat-packing in Austria and attending two more colleges, Salinger began submitting his short stories for publication. In 1942, he was drafted into the Army and was present at Utah Beach on D-Day.

After the war, Salinger returned to his writing. The Catcher in the Rye was published in 1951. The novel was both lauded and vilified, but by the late 50s it was wildly popular, especially among teenagers. The success of the novel and the attention it earned him was overwhelming to Salinger. He withdrew from the public and his writing suffered as he began to publish fewer and fewer stories. Later in life he was involved in several lawsuits involving biographers and copyright violators, including an author who wrote a novel about Holden Caulfield as an adult.

Genre:

Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

English: Writing Style

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss what Holden means when he calls so many people "phonies"
• Read the first paragraph and then introduce Holden in character
• Talk about how this has simultaneously been the most challenged and most taught book

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Unsuitable role model
Profanity
Sexual content
Blasphemy
Undermining of family values
Encouragement of rebellion
Alcohol and tobacco use
Association with high profile murders

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It has been credited with helping create the category of young adult literature. It still remains one of the most popular YA novels.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Yancey, Rick. The Mostrumologist. Simon and Schuster, 2009. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 1416984488. ISBN-13: 978-1416984481.

Plot:

After his parents death, 12-year-old Will Henry was taken in my his father’s employer, Dr. Warthrop. Dr. Warthrop is a monstrumologist - someone who studies and hunts monsters - and Will Henry becomes his assistant. He has seen many things that he never believe he would, but when Erasmus Gray, a local man, arrives in the middle of the night with a gruesome discovery, Will Henry’s life becomes considerably more dangerous. The man has discovered a dead Anthropophagus, a terrifying monster that survives by eating humans. Dr. Warthrop is shocked, because it is a creature that is only seen in Africa. Dr. Warthrop believes there can’t be many more live ones around, but when he, Will, and Erasmus are attacked, resulting in Erasmus’s death, they discover that there is a massive pack of them living under the cemetery. Through he already suspects the cause of their appearance in America, Dr. Warthrop sets out to discover exactly where they came from and how to destroy them. Before he can do so, they viciously attack and slaughter a family, leaving behind only one boy. Dr. Warthrop is then forced to involve the local police and a notorious monster hunter to kill the monsters before they can attack anyone else. In the process, Will Henry’s life in endangered, leaving him to wonder whether the creatures were the only monsters or if men can be monsters, too.

Critical Evaluation:

Monstrumologist is beautifully written, well-plotted, and full of interesting characters and fascinating situations. It is also far too long. It isn’t even the length itself that is so daunting, but rather the density of that length. Unfortunately, this means that only the most intrepid of readers will be exposed to this otherwise wonderful novel. If they do finish the book, though, they will have experienced a many-layered story with an excellent ending.

The novel would certainly fall under the umbrella of gothic horror with its eccentric characters, dark situations, and metaphorical monsters challenging the actual monsters. It is gruesome; there were scenes, such as that with the maggots, where I had to skim in order to finish them. The violence and macabre descriptions aren’t gratuitous, but instead serve to further the plot. The story wouldn’t be complete without them.

Rick Yancey is a very talented writer. His prose is reminiscent of more classic novels, but not so much that it won’t still appeal to modern readers. He successfully conveys the voice of an elderly man recounting the story of his youth to a new generation. Choosing to frame his story in this manner lends it a feeling of “truth.“ It also allows him the ability of omniscience in certain situations, which creates a suspenseful atmosphere appropriate to the horror of the subject matter. Though the middle of his book is sometimes difficult to wade through, it is worth it for both the beautiful writing and the ending.

Reader's Annotation:

After being orphaned by a fire, Will Henry is taken in by his father's former employer, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. Dr. Warthrop has an unusual and dangerous profession and he expects Will Henry to help.

Author Information:

Rick Yancey was born in Florida and has spent most of his life there. He attended Roosevelt University in Chicago and majored in English. After graduating, he returned to Florida where he was a part time teacher and worked in theater. He then took a job as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service, where he worked for 10 years. He had always wanted to be a writer, however, so he decided to pursue that dream with working for the IRS.

His first book was published in 2004. It’s a memoir of his years working for the IRS and has been named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 5 best books on taxes ever written. He followed this by a novel for adults before moving on to writing for young adults. He has written 2 series for young adults and another series for adults.

Genre:

Horror

Curriculum Ties:

English: Plot Development, Writing Style, Character Development

Booktalking Ideas:

• Explain what monstrumology is.
• Discuss whether or not the creatures were the only "monsters" in the book
• Discuss Will Henry's and Dr. Warthrop's relationship

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence
Graphic and nauseating content

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It was the 2010 winner of the Michael L. Printz Honor Award.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Candlewick, 2003. 256 pages. ISBN-10: 0763619582. ISBN-13: 978-0763619589.


Plot:

Virginia has never really felt like she fits in with the rest of her perfect family. They are all dark-haired, slim, attractive, and brilliant. She is blond, plain, and terrible at French. She’s also overweight, which she and her family think is the worst difference of all. Self-conscious about her size, she hides in baggy clothes and withdraws from everyone at the school. Since her best friend moved to Washington, that means that Virginia doesn’t have any friends left in her school. She does, however, have a secret boy, Froggy. Though she and Froggy spend every Monday making out in her room, she follows her “Fat Girl Code of Conduct” and avoids him in public, thinking that he wouldn’t want to be seen with her. In order to be worthy of Froggy and her family, Virginia decides she must lose weight and begins a diet that makes her unhealthy and miserable.

When Virginia’s older brother, whom she idolizes, is suspended from school after being accused of date raping a girl, she starts to realize that maybe her family isn’t so perfect after all. She begins to branch out and start to accept her differences. Instead of trying to be perfect, she decides to try to be an individual. Though this causes some strain in her family, Virginia believes that it is worth it to become her own person.

Critical Evaluation:

Mackler manages the difficult task of writing a narrator who is insecure and unhappy with herself, but who isn’t whiny or self-pitying. Virginia is humorous, likable, and sympathetic. She’s sarcastic and self-deprecating, but she’s also vulnerable. Her journey towards accepting herself while at the same time improving herself in a healthy way is an admirable example for readers. She isn’t an unrealistic example, however. She makes many mistakes along the way, she hurts people, and she hurts herself, but she learns and she accepts her faults. By the end of the book, her life isn’t perfect, but it’s promising.

Mackler’s writing maintains a conversational style, but without stylistically delving into too many sentence fragments or grammatical errors. The result of this is a book written in the voice of a bright teenager, one that both teenagers and adults can enjoy. Mackler doesn’t shy away from sensitive material. She addresses the body image issue with honesty. Her inclusion of the date rape and her focus on how it affects Virginia’s family dynamic is a bold choice. Their reactions to the rape are defining moments for each of the characters, particularly Virginia, as it is the catalyst for changing the way she views herself and her family in relation to each other.

This is a book that offers both an entertaining storyline and good message. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who was struggling to find their place in their family, no matter the reason.

Reader's Annotation:

Virginia has never felt like she really fits in with her slim, beautiful, and talented family, so she sets out to change that. Along the way, she learns to accept herself as she is.

Author Information:

Carolyn Mackler was born July 13, 1973 in Manhattan. Her family relocated several times, but eventually settled in Brockport, New York. Many of her novels are set in the areas of New York where she lived. She was interested in writing from an early age and even started a newspaper at the age of four. She would dictate her stories to her mother, who would then write them down. She attended Vassar and earned an Art History degree. After graduating, she moved to Seattle, but soon returned to New York. She currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and son.

Much of her inspiration for her characters comes from her own experience as a teenager. In 5th grade, Mackler began to feel like a misfit and an outsider in her school. Things did eventually get better for her, but the experience stuck with her. Many of her characters are misfits looking for their place, like she was. She has published five books for young adults.

Genre:

Chick Lit

Curriculum Ties:

Psychology: Body Image and Self Acceptance

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss feeling different from your family
• Introduce Virginia in the style of one of her lists.
• Talk about learning to accept yourself.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Date rape
Sexual content
Anti-family
Unsuited to age group

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It has an important message of self-acceptance that hasn't been lost on teenagers, given the number of letters the author has received on the subject.

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Wittlinger, Ellen. Parrotfish. Simon and Schuster, 2007. 304 pages. ISBN-10: 1416916229. ISBN-13: 978-1416916222.

Plot:

Angela has never really felt like a girl. At the age of 16, she decides instead to start living as a boy. She cuts her hair short, binds her breasts, starts dressing in boys clothes, and asks that everyone refer to her as Grady from now on. Grady’s family has a hard time accepting this, especially his mother and sister. His best friend, Eve, even drops him as a friend, deeply hurting Grady in the process. Acceptance isn’t quick to come in school either. Many of the teachers and the principal refuse to acknowledge his new identity and some of the students start to bully him. Eve’s new friends make Grady the target of some very cruel jokes. Even those who are more accepting of his change don’t fully understand how hurtful their ignorant and supposedly innocent comments and actions are, such as when two members of the basketball team decide to dress up as girls for a laugh. As Grady struggles with acceptance, he questions why it is so important what gender a person is.

Luckily, Grady has the help of his new friend Sebastian and the female gym coach. Both accept Grady for who he is without any reservation and do whatever they can to help him. He also falls in love for the first time with a beautiful and kind girl named Kita. With the support of his new friends, he gains the courage to deal with those who are against his transformation. In becoming who he really is, he also helps those around him begin to find out who they really are.

Critical Evaluation:

With Parrotfish, Wittlinger has made an important contribution not only to GLBT literature, but young adult literature in general. In young adult literature, there is a lack of books focusing on transgendered teens. Those that do often present it in either a joking manner or involve tragedy. Parrotfish does neither. There is humor and there are hardships, but it’s a serious and uplifting story over all. It’s not a story that is strictly about a transgendered character dealing with the change, however. It’s also about a teenager’s first love and friendship and dealing with family difficulties. These are all things to which any teenager can relate, not just those who are questioning their gender or their identity. By rounding out the story this way, Grady isn’t just a flat symbol to further a message, but an interesting and full person.

Wittlinger’s simple writing style and honest voice are a great vehicle for Grady’s story. The book moves along quickly, keeping the reader engaged. The first-person perspective personalizes the story, so that the reader becomes a part of it instead of looking in from the outside. The use of the imaginary dialogue was a humorous touch and really gives insight into Grady’s character. This book is a great read for those who are questioning their identity or want more insight into people who do. It’s also a great read for anyone looking for a good story to enjoy.

Reader's Annotation:

Transgendered high school junior Angela decides to start living as a boy named Grady. His transformation isn't easy, but he learns who he is and who his true friends and family are.

Author Information:

Ellen Wittlinger was born in Belleville, Illinois on October 21, 1948. As a child, her parents owned a grocery store that was joined to their house and she would often raid the ice-cream and candy shelves. She attended college at Millikin University and then moved to Ashland, Oregon. She stayed there until being accepted to the Iowa Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa with the intention of becoming a poet. After that, she moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts for a fellowship at the Fine Arts Work Center.

She published a book of poetry and several plays. She first became interested in young adult literature after working as a children’s librarian and having children of her own. She published her first novel in 1993 and has written 12 more novels for young adults, with the last one published in 2008.

Genre:

Realistic Fiction: Gender Identity

Curriculum Ties:

Psychology: Gender Dysphoria
Sociology: Family Dynamic

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss why Grady's family and friends have such a hard time with his change
• Talk about figuring out who you really are, even if it means being different than everyone else
• Discuss what it means to be transgendered.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Transgendered protagonist

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is a wonderful book for teens questioning their gender or anyone who would life to better understand those who do.

Nightwood by Patricia Windsor

Windsor, Patricia. Nightwood. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2006. 256 pages. ISBN-10: 0385903316. ISBN-13: 978-0385903318.

Plot:

Rather than go on the class trip to Washington, D.C., Casey, Gena, and Maryann decide to skip and spend a week in a cabin on the lake. They think it will be a harmless week of parent-free fun; Casey hopes to meet her boyfriend who will be there fishing. After they arrive at the lake, weird things start happening. A cabin full of mutilated animals is found, prompting the local sheriff’s son to investigate a string of similar incidences across the south. A local boy goes missing and another out-of-towner is attacked.

The girls are oblivious to what is happening until the day they decide to visit Casey’s boyfriend and his friends. They arrive only to discover that one of his friends is missing. While searching for him, they stumble upon the mangled body of the missing local boy instead. The girls decide to go back to their cabin and leave the boys to deal with the police, but while on the way back a storm begins, causing Gena to fall out of the boat. The other two girls decide to go back to the cabin and wait the storm out before looking for her. Unfortunately, someone else finds her before they can. The deranged killer has a plan and he will deal with anyone who gets in his way, including the girls.

Critical Evaluation:

This book is written with alternating narrators, which allows the reader to have information the characters do not. This lends a feeling of suspense and dread, as the reader is able to connect events that are occurring in multiple places. Windsor’s descriptions of the mutilation and violence are sparse, leaving most of it up to the reader’s imagination. The setting is appropriately remote and the perfect combination of idyllic and sinister. This all comes together to create a creepy atmosphere perfect for the events.

The story actually has substance, too. The smaller plots involving the relationship between the sheriff and his son or those of the girls’ home lives flesh out what would otherwise be a stereotypical teen slasher. Including the point of view of the killer in a way that can almost make him sympathetic at times is an interesting and effective choice. Any time the reader begins to feel sorry for the killer, the feeling of horror intensifies once we are reminded of what he has done. Unfortunately, the book does suffer from the fatal flaw of many in the genre: an unsatisfying ending. Windsor attempts to add a twist, but does so in a way that is confusing rather than shocking. Aside from that mistake, however, the book is a scary and entertaining read.

Reader's Annotation:

Six teenagers head to the lake for a relaxing week only to be terrorized by a dangerous killer.

Author Information:

Patricia Windsor was born in New York on September 21, 1938 and died July 1, 2010. She began writing as a child and submitted several of her pieces to Seventeen magazine. After receiving 35 rejection notices from them by the time she graduated from high school, she decided that writing was not the career for her. Instead, she studied dance at Bennington College and Westchester Community College. After graduation, however, she began work as an editor and copywriter working for both Mademoiselle magazine and Harper and Row.

Her first novel was published in 1973. She has since written 16 more novels, the last being Nightwood published in 2006. Her books tend to have elements of mystery, the supernatural and horror. She has received several awards including the Edgar Allan Poe Award.

Genre:

Horror

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the points of view of each of the characters as the story unfolds.
• Compare the three girls' personalities.
• Read the first short chapter as a teaser about the killer.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence
Profanity
Alcohol and drug use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Many teens really enjoy horror as a genre. This book contains all the traditional elements of the teen slasher genre, but with a moral complication.

The Initiation (The Secret Circle #1) by L.J. Smith

Smith, L.J. The Initiation. Harper, 1992. 320 pages. ISBN-10: 0061067121. ISBN-13: 978-0061067129

Plot:

After spending the summer in Cape Cod, Cassie is ready to go back to California. On her last day there, she helps a mysterious stranger and feels a connection to him. Though she loves him, she assumes that she’ll never see him again. She prepares to go back to California never knowing, but then discovers that she and her mother will be staying in Massachusetts and moving in with her grandmother in New Salem. Cassie starts the new school year hoping to make friends, but ends up on the bad side of a group of very powerful students known as The Club, the worst of which is Faye. After they spend a few weeks bullying her, she is rescued by Diana, another member of The Club. She and Cassie become best friends and Cassie learns that there are kind members. Cassie is still an outsider when it comes to The Club until one night when she is invited to join then and discovers that they are a group of witches and that she and her family are witches, as well. Cassie finally feels accepted and even begins to hope that she will see the mysterious stranger again. She gets her wish, but not in the way she expected. Diana’s boyfriend, Adam, returns to town and Cassie discovers that he is the stranger that she loves. Heartbroken, but loyal to Diana, Cassie vows to keep her feelings to herself. Faye discovers them, however, and blackmails Cassie to help her with some dark magic. Cassie is trapped, but they soon find out that Faye isn’t the only dangerous power in town.

Critical Evaluation:

Like most of Smith’s books, this one includes a sweet female character, close teenage friendships, a snarky villain, a fight for good, and, of course, romance. Smith’s writing style isn’t very sophisticated, but she is a decent story-teller. This is a simple and satisfying read. Despite having first been published almost 20 years ago, this story doesn’t really feel too dated. In fact, the innocence of her characters, even the villains, is almost refreshing when compared to more modern fantasy novels and supernatural romances.

Despite being a fairly minor character, the most interesting of the characters is Cassie’s grandmother. Rather than being transparent or flat like many of the other secondary characters, she is given a personality and a mysterious quality that encourages the reader to continue to search for what it is that she’s hiding. Cassie herself is slightly less interesting, but no less likable. This is a nice story with an ending that will leave the reader questioning what will happen next.

Reader's Annotation:

When Cassie moves to her mother’s childhood home, she encounters a group of mysterious and powerful teenagers.

Author Information:

L.J. Smith, also know as Lisa Jane or LJane, grew up Villa Park, California. She started telling stories before she could even read or write. She decided she wanted to be a writer at the age of six after writing a poem for her teacher. She has been writing ever since with the exception of a 10 year hiatus starting in 1998. After her brother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and her mother with terminal cancer, she was unable to write due to the emotional state she was in. She has said this was the worst period of her life. After her mother’s death, she began to write again in honor of her.

Smith only writes fantasy novels, due to her fascination with magic and the supernatural. Her main characters are generally strong young females, because she wanted to write characters that could be role models for her readers. She includes dark elements in her novels, but is careful to say that all the stories will end with a happy ending.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the passage beginning with "That night Cassie had a dream" placed on page 50 of the reprint omnibus version.
• Present as Cassie after her first day of school.
• Focus on the relationships between the members of the circle.
• Discuss the magic and power the group has.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was a series I enjoyed as a teen. With the popularity of L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and the talks of this series also potentially becoming a television show, the books may again become popular.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press, 2008. 384 pages. ISBN-10: 0439023483. ISBN-13: 978-0439023481.

Plot:

In the future, North America has become a country known as Panem, consisting of a capitol and 12 surrounding districts. Years before, the districts launched a rebellion against The Capitol, but they were defeated. As punishment, each year the districts must send one boy and one girl to fight to the death on television. These tributes, as they’re called, are drawn at random in a ceremony known as The Reaping. When sixteen-year-old Katniss’s younger sister is chosen to be a tribute, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She, the male tribute Peeta, and their alcoholic mentor Haymitch are sent to The Capitol to participate in the Hunger Games. While there, Katniss and Peeta are encouraged to play up to the crowd in hopes that it will give them an advantage. Katniss soon learns that this includes pretending to have a doomed relationship with Peeta. She and Peeta are thrown together in the arena to play out their love affair, but Katniss knows that only one of them can survive. What she doesn’t know is that Haymitch, Peeta and The Capitol all have a plan for her.

Critical Evaluation:

In The Hunger Games, Collins has written a book that can appeal not only to teenage audiences but adults, as well. The plot is complex and the characters are universally appealing. Though the writing style is often conversational, it only serves to personalize the story. It is a compelling narrative and one which the reader will be unable to put down. The fast pace and exciting description of the actual Hunger Games are juxtaposed nicely with the sweeter moments between Katniss and the other characters. Katniss is an engaging narrator and the reader is immediately on her side. The Capitol serves well as a terrifying and anger inducing villain.

Equal to the entertaining plot and characters are the ethical aspects of the story. This is most certainly a book that will make the reader think and question the situation. One of the most important questions the book raises is that of whether or not it is right to do what is necessary for survival. Collins doesn’t provide the readers with the answers, but instead allows them to decide for themselves. This book would excellent for both pleasure reading and using in a classroom. However, because there is quite a lot of violence, it would be wise for a parent or teacher to consider the age and temperament of a teen before recommending it.

Reader's Annotation:

In Panem, where teenagers are forced to fight to the death on television to pay for the rebellion, Katniss must survive after volunteering to take her younger sister's place.

Author Information:

Growing up, Suzanne Collins’s father was in the Air Force, so she moved all around the country. She has said that doing so made her aware of what it felt like to be a stranger somewhere, much like the main character in The Underland Chronicles. She attended New York University and received an M.F.A in dramatic writing. She spent 16 years living in New York, but now resides in Connecticut with her husband and children.

Before becoming an author, she worked as a writer for children’s television. She’s written for shows on Nickleodeon and Kids’ WB as well as several specials. After working in television for 12 years, she published her first novel for young adults, Gregor the Overlander, the first of The Underland Chronicles series. Since then she has published 8 more novels. Her books have won numerous awards and topped the New York Times Bestseller list. She was named one of Time magazine's most influential people of 2010.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Government: Totalitarian Government, Fascism
Mythology: Comparison to Theseus
English: Plot Development, Symbolism, Character Development

Booktalking Ideas:

• Compare her relationships with Gale and Peeta.
• Talk about Katniss's decision to take her sister's place.
• Discuss where the idea of The Hunger Games originated and why.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence
Anti-government

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was a required reading for the class. It is a book that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It's also one of my favorites.